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Pip and Assessment
- Shell
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1 year 11 months ago #270366 by Shell
Pip and Assessment was created by Shell
Hi, I am new here. I just thought I would share my experience with my PIP interview which I had yesterday. It was by telephone and around 2 hours long. Which I found to be quite gruelling and I felt exhausted afterwards. I don't know how it went, I found it hard to verbalise when questions were asked and I was not given the chance to expand on them.
I don't know if anyone feels this way but I felt that they were trying to catch me out with their questions and I will be honest I found it quite shocking, as if they feel you are lying about your conditions. I know every person's situation is vastly different and is subjective even if they suffer from the same illness/disability.
I was asked questions like do you have a driving licence? I do, but when I tried to expand on the subject I felt like I was cut down. I did get the chance yes I do but I have not driven for 8 years. I did not get the chance to say it is now out of date and I have not even bothered renewing it. I was asked if I had points on my licence? That was very weird. I don't have points on my licence and I don't see the relevance to it.
I moved this week, I told them I moved this week to a ground floor flat, and they asked if I had been assessed for adjustments, I said no I have just moved this week and I chose a ground floor flat with a wet room. To be honest I wouldn't know who to ask if I needed adjustments.
I was asked what hand I had the phone in. I was asked what my tinnitus sounded like. I found this very hard to explain. I said shattering glass with a high pitched tone. I was asked if they smashed a glass would it be the same. I said probably not, I cant explain how it sounds, other than shattered glass with a high pitched tone. I told them I am sorry I am finding it very hard to describe the noise.
I was asked what time I ate at? I had told them that my brother or sister in law brings over food as I don't cook. I said night time which is true, I didn't get the chance to say but my appetite is non-existent I wasn't allowed to expand and explain if it didn't suit the subject matter I was asked about how far I could walk without stopping, but I wasn't really asked about the journey itself of how I am always tripping and losing my balance and how I go dizzy when I try to cross the road by moving my head to watch for traffic.
I do feel that at the end of the questions they should give you centre stage and really explain a typical day from when you arise until bedtime and the difficulties that you have you might have not mentioned in the form. Not everyone is great at writing about their experiences, some people find it easier to articulate their situation by just talking but the interview seems to be quite closed and questions led without being able to expand.
Anyway, I am doubtful I will get PIP, I did not have a rapport with the assessor and I did feel his constant questioning was trying to trip me up when I was truthful and I was not given the chance to expand on the questions. I kept being told we will come to that section later which inevitably we didn't.
I received a text this morning to say they have the report and I am pretty clueless about what to do next. I was told by the assessor at the beginning and at the end that it can take up to 8 weeks. I did not ask any questions other than does the report come by post or email?
I feel quite fed up now to be honest. Pip interviews seem to be robotic unless you get someone who seems to care and LCWRA is another law unto itself its been over 6 months since I started putting sick notes in and still not had an assessment.
I don't know if anyone feels this way but I felt that they were trying to catch me out with their questions and I will be honest I found it quite shocking, as if they feel you are lying about your conditions. I know every person's situation is vastly different and is subjective even if they suffer from the same illness/disability.
I was asked questions like do you have a driving licence? I do, but when I tried to expand on the subject I felt like I was cut down. I did get the chance yes I do but I have not driven for 8 years. I did not get the chance to say it is now out of date and I have not even bothered renewing it. I was asked if I had points on my licence? That was very weird. I don't have points on my licence and I don't see the relevance to it.
I moved this week, I told them I moved this week to a ground floor flat, and they asked if I had been assessed for adjustments, I said no I have just moved this week and I chose a ground floor flat with a wet room. To be honest I wouldn't know who to ask if I needed adjustments.
I was asked what hand I had the phone in. I was asked what my tinnitus sounded like. I found this very hard to explain. I said shattering glass with a high pitched tone. I was asked if they smashed a glass would it be the same. I said probably not, I cant explain how it sounds, other than shattered glass with a high pitched tone. I told them I am sorry I am finding it very hard to describe the noise.
I was asked what time I ate at? I had told them that my brother or sister in law brings over food as I don't cook. I said night time which is true, I didn't get the chance to say but my appetite is non-existent I wasn't allowed to expand and explain if it didn't suit the subject matter I was asked about how far I could walk without stopping, but I wasn't really asked about the journey itself of how I am always tripping and losing my balance and how I go dizzy when I try to cross the road by moving my head to watch for traffic.
I do feel that at the end of the questions they should give you centre stage and really explain a typical day from when you arise until bedtime and the difficulties that you have you might have not mentioned in the form. Not everyone is great at writing about their experiences, some people find it easier to articulate their situation by just talking but the interview seems to be quite closed and questions led without being able to expand.
Anyway, I am doubtful I will get PIP, I did not have a rapport with the assessor and I did feel his constant questioning was trying to trip me up when I was truthful and I was not given the chance to expand on the questions. I kept being told we will come to that section later which inevitably we didn't.
I received a text this morning to say they have the report and I am pretty clueless about what to do next. I was told by the assessor at the beginning and at the end that it can take up to 8 weeks. I did not ask any questions other than does the report come by post or email?
I feel quite fed up now to be honest. Pip interviews seem to be robotic unless you get someone who seems to care and LCWRA is another law unto itself its been over 6 months since I started putting sick notes in and still not had an assessment.
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1 year 11 months ago #270386 by Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gary on topic Pip and Assessment
Hi Shell
Welcome to the forum.
You might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is; www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/faq/forum
Sorry to hear you had a poor experience at your assessment, unfortunately you are not alone. We have numerous members on the forum who have also had a poor experience with their assessor who were not listening.
within 48 hrs after your assessment you should contact the DWP and ask for a copy of the assessors report, as you have already received a text message I would contact the DWP straight away and ask for a copy of the assessors report called a PA4.
The point of asking for the assessment report (PA4) - is so you can learn what the assessor thought of your claim before the report is passed to the Decision Maker. Sometimes claimants disagree with points in the report and they want to contact the Decision Maker about it.
Once you have the report use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you then set out why you disagree with the assessor and try and match it with any supporting documents you may have sent in.
There is a small window for you to write to the Decision Maker but you will need to be quick.
Understand that the assessor is offering an opinion when they say that you can do the PIP activities, tackling these head-on is unlikely to be successful, you need to show that the basis of that opinion is founded on incorrect information, so try and refer to your evidence to undermine what they have said.
Also, try and stick to issues that lead to your scoring points, I often hear members referring to the assessors spelling, as an example, whilst it may show a lack of professionalism, raising it as an issue isn't going to help you get an award.
Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessment report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation;
Lastly, make sure that you understand the criteria that you are being assessed against you can put the best case forward that is possible but you won't score points if you do not meet the PIP Descriptors.
Don't forget to check out our PIP guide to help with your claim: www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Come back to the forum if you have any further questions.
Gary
Welcome to the forum.
You might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is; www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/faq/forum
Sorry to hear you had a poor experience at your assessment, unfortunately you are not alone. We have numerous members on the forum who have also had a poor experience with their assessor who were not listening.
within 48 hrs after your assessment you should contact the DWP and ask for a copy of the assessors report, as you have already received a text message I would contact the DWP straight away and ask for a copy of the assessors report called a PA4.
The point of asking for the assessment report (PA4) - is so you can learn what the assessor thought of your claim before the report is passed to the Decision Maker. Sometimes claimants disagree with points in the report and they want to contact the Decision Maker about it.
Once you have the report use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you then set out why you disagree with the assessor and try and match it with any supporting documents you may have sent in.
There is a small window for you to write to the Decision Maker but you will need to be quick.
Understand that the assessor is offering an opinion when they say that you can do the PIP activities, tackling these head-on is unlikely to be successful, you need to show that the basis of that opinion is founded on incorrect information, so try and refer to your evidence to undermine what they have said.
Also, try and stick to issues that lead to your scoring points, I often hear members referring to the assessors spelling, as an example, whilst it may show a lack of professionalism, raising it as an issue isn't going to help you get an award.
Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessment report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation;
Lastly, make sure that you understand the criteria that you are being assessed against you can put the best case forward that is possible but you won't score points if you do not meet the PIP Descriptors.
Don't forget to check out our PIP guide to help with your claim: www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Come back to the forum if you have any further questions.
Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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